The field of the present invention is mountings for fire sprinklers in buildings.
Fire sprinklers are commonly installed in buildings today. Safety regulations now require same in many applications. The sprinklers are most often installed in ceilings where the sprinkler head extends below the ceiling or is flush with the ceiling while the sprinkler fitting of which there are standard sizes is positioned in the space above the sprinkler head. The placement of the sprinkler head protruding or flush with the ceiling creates the need for locational adjustment. The adjustment may require displacement in the plane of the ceiling or vertically perpendicular to that plane.
In many applications, particularly in the home, the sprinkler system might include PVC pipe and fittings. Such components are typically glued together, requiring cutting and reassembling for adjustment. Further, the pipe is not as resistant to vibrational wear making it more easily damaged by metal fittings, clamps and the like. However, the piping tends to be more flexible than steel pipe or copper tubing. These attributes and detriments of PVC piping provide for reasonably easy locational adjustments but are less tolerant of being gripped and retained by conventional hardware.
The present invention is directed to a fire sprinkler mount which includes a base with a support having an arm extending from the support and a support hole through the arm. A rod is associated with the base to mount a bracket which includes two plates and a web therebetween. One plate includes a retaining hole while a cradle is located at the distal end of the other. The rod extends through mounting holes in the plates and the support hole of the base.
Additional and separate aspects of the invention contemplate the cradle being through the distal end of the other plate defining a semicircular surface coaxial with the retaining hole or, alternatively, the cradle being two fingers extending past the distal end of the other plate with each finger forming a saddle concavely facing one another to define segments of a circle. The base may be provided with two arms which alternatively may enclose the bracket, extend through a slot in the bracket to receive the rod or, alternatively, define two guideways which slidably grip edges of the bracket.
In further separate aspects of the invention, the plates may be preferably spaced a distance equal to a standard sprinkler fitting to insure controlled placement of the sprinkler head; the rod may be defined by a screw extending through mounting holes on the plates; and one of the mounting holes may engage the rod with threads while the other mounting hole allows the rod to pass therethrough for adjustment of the bracket relative to the base.
As a further separate aspect, any of the foregoing separate aspects are contemplated to be employed in combination to further advantage.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved adjustable mount for fire sprinklers. Other and further objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.